I think I'd be very, very tempted to pull up to the Beaufort Inn or some other waterfront hotel in Beaufort at the end of the first day and spend the night there before heading out for the second leg of the race!

Chris, do you have an AI/TI with the new slip joints? Or, are you simply espousing a view about something you have never used?

Just curious.

Keith

Keith, I replaced my old pin style akas/crossbars with the new ones because they were corroded. After a few months with the slip joints, I have reverted to my original ones. They look horrible, but the corrosion is only cosmetic and despite having logged over 1300 miles, they clank a bit but they do not require extra lines to stop them sagging or slipping out at the wrong time.I'm not a Luddite - I love the new rudder. It's the diametric opposite of the aka joints, in that Hobie has gone from a design that was complex and unreliable to one that is simple and reliable.

Where the aka tube plugs into the aluminum casting there is more play. The stainless pop rivets are also getting loose.

My plan is to remove the rivets. Clean up the corrosion and use epoxy to reseat the tube in the casting. I will wrap strands of glass in the resin to fill the gap. New pop rivets. Instead of rivets I also thought about through bolts. Will need to offset one of these...

Glad to hear you have tried them out, Chris. Sorry they did not work out for you.

I don't put in the miles or the time that many people do, especially Dogslife, and have not experienced any problems with the slip joints. I do about 250 mi/yr.

Keith

PS I spend the summers in the rockies at about 9500' (3000 m). Last night it got down to 25 deg F (ca -4 deg C), so I'm going to be heading back to S FL soon. The fall colors are beautiful though, and it got up to 55 deg F today.

_________________"Don't kid yourselves, sharks are everywhere in the Everglades" Chekika

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

It looks like I will be in your part of the woods Christmas time. Taking a week off at Islamorada. I will try to rent a AI or TI and do some sailing and fishing with the family. I do not know what to do with my self if I do not have a far away destination as my target...

If you epoxy the joints, no pop-rivets are needed. Done properly, the joint would then be stronger than if you had used the rivets.

I find that most any of the slop in mine (so far) is in the actual pin or shaft that fastens the Ama Knuckle to the Ama peg. A small shim or washer top and bottom should take up most all of that play. Just another place to reduce any slop.

Dogs, what period will you be in FL? You are not bringing your AI & TI down? Or, do you just need another boat? We are tentitively planning our Chok to FLM trip during the week of Jan 14-20. No plans for xmas at this time--that may change. Depending on our plans at that time, we may be able to loan you an AI.

Keith

_________________"Don't kid yourselves, sharks are everywhere in the Everglades" Chekika

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

It will be between Christmas and New Year. Will most likely fly into Miami. For just a week it is too much to drive all the way to Florida with the boats. I would much rather sit in the sun with my feet in the water than behind a steering wheel. I would like to take my son into Florida Bay just to give him a little taste of the EC. His College Spring brake is at the same time as the EC. I have been trying to get him to do the race with me in the TI. Main reason why I bought the TI. He prefers to hang out with his friends on some beach checking out the girls.

Hi Paul, All those experiences and feed back are great for us. Thanks very much for taking your time shooting and editing the vids... My only problem when I watch them is that I´m so tempted to go there and do the challenges. I tried this year to organize my trip to race the Everglades (even I registered on it), but finally I couldn´t... maybe one day.

Dogs, where will you be staying in the Keys? Bay Cove? Will you have some place to leave your AI/TIs on the beach overnight? If you are at Bay Cove or thereabouts, a trip out to Nest Key would be nice.

Keith

_________________"Don't kid yourselves, sharks are everywhere in the Everglades" Chekika

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein